PhD Fellowship in Just Energy Systems

Job description

The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a PhD Fellowship in Just Energy Systems at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Media and Social Sciences.

This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree.

You will be admitted to the PhD program in Social Sciences. The education includes relevant courses amounting to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication, a trial lecture and public defence. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.

The position is funded by the European Union as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network "Consumer Demand Flexibility in Electricity Use" (CoDeF), grant agreement no. 101169359.

The position is vacant from January 1st 2025, and the appointment is for three years with research duties exclusively.

Research topic

The PhD Fellow will be affiliated with the project CoDeF, which is a MSCA doctoral network, consisting of 15 doctorate candidates all over Europe, exploring Integrated Energy Systems through multiple disciplines and approaches. The objective of this specific Ph.D. position is to explore and understand the social justice and fairness issues that emerge when consumer flexibility is incentivised and facilitated in the energy system. This includes issues such as the exclusionary divide between those who are affluent enough to avoid flexibility and those who are forced by economic necessity to be flexible, shifting the burden onto those already in energy poverty.

The project is expected to uncover emerging energy justice issues that are still poorly understood and have been overlooked or ignored in research and policymaking. Through in-depth ethnographic study, the candidate will provide a better understanding of both existing and emerging issues, including an identification of the issues most likely to provoke resistance against consumer flexibility. Results will be transformed into actionable knowledge, enabling the design of energy consumption policies better suited to safeguarding social justice and fairness.

The position includes periods of secondment with project partners Stavanger Municipality and TU Delft, with supervisors and mentors from both UiS, Stavanger Municipality and TU Delft.

Project proposal

As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for a doctoral project within the subject area, which explains the problem, relevance, theoretical and methodological approach. Your preliminary project proposal will be included in the application assessment.

The proposal must be a maximum of five pages. Applications without a project proposal will not be considered.

During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and completed for the final plan for the PhD-project. A project proposal template can be found here.

Qualification requirements

We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within social sciences or humanities, preferably acquired recently; or who possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate.

Candidates cannot have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Furthermore, candidates cannot hold a doctoral degree.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade.

Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subjects that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales  to calculate your points for admission.

Emphasis is also placed on your:

• experience in conducting qualitative fieldwork
• motivation and potential for research within the field
• professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe
• ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
• ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload

You must have good communications skills in English (see below), both oral and written.

Requirements for competence in English

A good proficiency in English is required for anyone attending the PhD program. International applicants must document this with a valid test certificate from one of the following tests:

• TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT). Minimum result: 90
• IELTS – International English Language Testing Service. Minimum result: 6.5
• Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
• PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic. Minimum result: 62

The following applicants are exempt from the above requirements:

• Applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA
• Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma
• Applicants with a completed master's degrees taught in English in a EU/EEA country
• Applicants who are exempt based on HK-dir's GSU list

We offer

• a PhD education in a large, exciting and societally important organisation
• an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure.
• colleague-based guidance programme (NyTi) if teaching is a part of your position
• access to Lifekeys, a digital service for the preservation of personal mental health and well-being
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 532 200 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• additional Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions contributions, including mobility allowance and, if applicable, family allowance and special needs allowance
• automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
• favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club at campus
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
• "Hjem-jobb-hjem" discounted public transport to and from work
• as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
• a relocation programme providing assistance when moving to Stavanger, Norway

Diversity

Diversity is a resource in the working and learning environment at UiS. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and find better solutions.

At UiS, we are committed to showing respect for each other's differences and accommodating employees with disabilities. We take into consideration your needs and your situation in various life phases.

If you find this position interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been out of the workforce for a period.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview. If you fall into any of these categories, feel free to indicate it when applying for the position.

Learn more about the criteria for being considered an applicant in these specific groups here.

Contact information

For questions about the project description and the PhD position, please do not hesitate to contact Associate Professor Kristiane M. F. Lindland, tel: +47 51833704, email: kristiane.m.lindland@uis.no or Associate Professor Jens Kaae Fisker, email: jens.k.fisker@uis.no. For questions regarding departmental affiliation please contact Head of Department Oluf Langhelle, tel: +47 51831508, email: oluf.langhelle@uis.no.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact HR Advisor Janne V. Endresen, tel: +47 51831216, email: janne.v.endresen@uis.no 

Application

To apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.

The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:

• project proposal, a project proposal template can be found here. 
• CV with a full summary of your education and experience
• references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
• Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
• documentation on competence in English if this is required
• publications or other relevant research work

Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation. 

The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.

Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If your request is not granted, you will be notified.

UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.

General information

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. If your application is considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter legislation, it will be rejected without further assessment.

Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident".

Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.

The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger, with the exception of a stay abroad at TU Delft.

It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.

The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the English text takes precedence.

UiS - challenge the well-known and explore the unknown

The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for green and sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has about 2,400 students and 210 employees. The studies are based on a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, on interdisciplinarity and cooperation with public and private sectors. New knowledge is generated from both practical experience and systematic research, or a combination of them. The educational offer is varied and includes Hospitality and Tourism, Media, Sociology, Social Work and Child Welfare, amongst others. The Faculty consists of: Department of Media and Social Sciences, Department of Social Studies and NHS – Department of Leadership and Service Innovation.

The Department of Media and Social Sciences offers a year course in Communication, bachelor studies in Sociology, Political Science, Journalism, and Television- and Multimedia Production. In addition, the Department offers four master programmes: Master’s in Change Management and Master’s in Documentary (both in Norwegian), and two international master programmes, Master’s in Digital Society and Societal Transformation and Master’s in Energy, Environment and Society. The Department delivers research within all these study programmes and the Department also has its own PhD research school (POLSOC). The Department currently has 700 employees (including Post Docs and PhD’s) and approximately 900 students. 

Questions about the position

Kristiane Marie Fjær Lindland
Førsteamanuensis // Associate Professor
+47 41 85 2324
kristiane.m.lindland@uis.no

Oluf Langhelle
Instituttleder // Head of Department
+47 518 31 508
oluf.langhelle@uis.no

Janne V. Endresen
HR-rådgiver // HR advisor
+47 51833000
janne.v.endresen@uis.no